ORLANDO – The UCF women’s soccer team returns home this week to host in-conference foe No. 17 Colorado on Friday night at the UCF Soccer Complex.
The Big 12 contest is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats available to follow on UCF.StatBroadcast.com. The match will mark the fifth annual Space Game for UCF women’s soccer, in which the team will don the Canaveral blue uniforms. The Space Game celebrates the university’s deep ties to the Kennedy Space Center and the space program that dates back to the school’s inception in 1963.
The Knights will enter the match with a 5-3-1 overall mark and a 0-2-1 record in Big 12 play, after dropping both games of their recent Big 12 road trip out west to BYU (3-1) and Utah (2-0), respectively.
The recent stretch has taken the Knights out of the IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Black and Gold had previously spent the last two weeks (four overall on the season) in the national poll, as they clocked in at No. 25 and No 23, respectively. In the NCAA’s RPI rankings, UCF currently finds itself at No. 46 in the nation.
In their latest match at Utah, the Knights went down early after surrendering a Ute goal in the third minute of the game. Utah tried to tack on more a few minutes later, but defender Jada Silvest was there to make a team save to keep the contest 1-0.
Despite UCF’s best efforts to manufacture offense, Utah found the net again in the 31st minute, giving them a 2-0 lead. That score remained through the end of the first half, thanks to another team save by Bella Douglas.
Coming out of the second half down two scores, the Black and Gold came out swinging in part to an early shot on goal by Naomi Clark in the 46th minute. Payton Patrick and Ella Holloran followed suit with shots on goal in the 61st and 62nd minutes. However, these scoring attempts were thwarted by the Utes.
Still not going down without a fight, UCF’s keeper Kaïna Cesar went out to the apex of her extension to make an impressive save in the 66th minute. The Knights also got off three more shots in the second half, outshooting the Utes 6-4 in that period. Nonetheless, Utah held on to win the contest by a score of 2-0.
Clark continued to apply offensive pressure despite the loss, as she paced the Knights with two shots on goal in the match, giving her a total of 16 on the year, a mark that leads the squad.
SEASON LEADERS
Senior forward Naomi Clark has made a name for herself this season, as her eight goals and 0.89 goals per game on the year lead the Big 12 conference. She also ranks second in total points with 18 and first in points per game with an even 2.00. Nationally, Clark finds herself tied for 10th in the country in goals per game. Midfielder Ainsley Moy leads the squad with six assists, a total that has her tied for second in the Big 12. Her 0.67 assists per game are also second in the conference. That mark places her tied for 10th in the nation. Goalkeeper Kaïna Cesar leads the team with 23 saves in the box and a .697 save percentage.
FIFTH ANNUAL SPACE GAME
Friday’s contest marks the fifth annual Space Game for women’s soccer. A tradition started by the football team in their perfect 2017 season, the Knights will wear space-themed kits that recognize the school’s roots. Originally named Florida Technological University, the school was founded to be a pipeline for the growing space program at the Kennedy Space Center. With the program expanding beyond technology and engineering, the school was renamed the University of Central Florida in 1978. Overall, in Space Games, UCF women’s soccer holds a 1-2-1 record, with their victory coming in the inaugural game versus ECU in 2022.
Space Game loading... 🚀 pic.twitter.com/i3vyJb8HYd
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) September 29, 2026
YOUR BIG 12 LEADER
Transfer forward Naomi Clark has continued her fantastic first impression to Knight Nation, as she’s the Big 12 leader in a number of offensive categories. The Parker, Colorado, native registered all three goals in the Knights’ 3-1 win on Aug. 27 versus UAB, notching her first career hat trick and UCF’s first since Sept. 30, 2018. Most recently, Clark notched an early goal in UCF’s 3-1 setback at BYU on Sept. 24 and amassed two shots on goal at Utah on Sept. 27.
The senior’s eight goals through UCF’s nine games are good enough to lead the Big 12 Conference. She also tops the league in goals per game (0.89). Her 18 total points and 2.00 points per game rank her second in the league, her 1.78 shots on goal average places her fourth, 3.33 shots per game ranks sixth, and her 30 total shots is tied for eighth in conference. Nationally, she is tied for 10th in goals per game.
KNIGHTS IN THE TOP 25 THIS SEASON
While outside of the Top 25 this week, UCF has been nationally ranked four times this season, most recently checking in at No. 23 in the IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Week 6 Top 25 Poll. UCF has climbed as high as No. 13 this season after previously being ranked No. 14 on Aug. 25. The Knights have also been ranked No. 13 on Sept. 1, No. 25 on Sept. 15, and No. 23 on Sept. 22.
The No. 13 ranking marked UCF’s highest since the 2017 season. The Knights are 1-3-1 this season when nationally ranked and 81-34-20 all-time as a ranked team, including a 43-14-10 mark at home.
ABOUT COLORADO
The Buffaloes will visit Orlando on Friday with an 8-2-1 overall record and a 2-1-0 conference record. They hold an undefeated record at home, with their two losses coming on the road against Michigan State and Texas Tech. Their loss against Texas Tech, which came last Sunday in Lubbock, was their first conference loss after opening Big 12 play with victories over Iowa State and then-top 10 West Virginia.
Colorado was picked to finish second in the Big 12 Conference this season after going 8-1-2 in league play last season and advancing to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with wins over Utah Valley and No. 22 Xavier. The Buffaloes’ second place preseason projection is the highest in program history.
Senior midfielder Reagan Kotschau leads the Buffs offensively this season with seven goals and six assists. She also paces the team in both points (20) and game-winning goals (3). Senior Forward Hope Leyba follows with seven goals and leads the team with 26 shots on target. Freshman goalkeeper Brooke Goerish has recorded 30 saves on the season with a .857 save percentage, anchoring a Colorado defense that has notched seven shutouts. Twin sisters, Hope and Faith Leyba were named to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List earlier this week. Both received All-America recognition a season ago and Hope was also tabbed the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
Colorado is coached by Danny Sanchez, who is in his 15th season at the helm. Sanchez holds a 170-92-43 record and has led the Buffs to nine NCAA Tournament appearances. He has the most wins in program history.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. COLORADO
Friday’s matchup will be the third all-time meeting between the Knights and Buffaloes, and the first at the UCF Soccer Complex in Orlando. Colorado holds a 1-0-1 series lead, after taking last season’s matchup in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Tournament by a score of 3-2. In 2024, the two played to a 0-0 draw at Prentup Field in Boulder.
NAOMI CLARK TABBED BIG 12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior forward Naomi Clark was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 2 after notching her first career hat trick in UCF’s win over UAB. The conference weekly honor marked the first of the career for Clark and the first of the season for the Knights.
CLARK EARNS TOP DRAWER SOCCER TEAM OF THE WEEK HONORABLE MENTION HONORS
Senior forward Naomi Clark also received honorable mention Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week accolades on Sept. 1 after recording her first career hat trick against UAB. The TDS Team of the Week honor marks the second of Clark’s career, as she previously earned the recognition last August while playing for Oklahoma.
UNDEFEATED AGAINST SUNSHINE STATE FOES
UCF went a perfect 3-0 on the season versus Sunshine State opponents with wins over Florida, South Florida and North Florida. The Knights started the season with a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the Gators and followed that up with a 2-0 victory at USF the following week. After having a match at FIU postponed due to heavy rainfall and unplayable field conditions, UCF then capped in-state play with a 1-0 home win over UNF.
The Knights are now 7-1-0 against Sunshine State opponents over the last two years.
MAKE THAT FIVE STRAIGHT AGAINST SEC OPPONENTS
The Knights hold wins over both Florida and No. 21 LSU on the season to move their win streak over SEC opponents to five. UCF has defeated both Florida and LSU twice during the streak, as well as No. 8 Georgia at home in 2024.
The Black and Gold’s last non-victory against an opponent from the SEC was Aug. 25, 2024, when they drew with Florida in Gainesville. The Knights’ last loss to an SEC foe came on Aug. 24, 2023, at Georgia.
COACH TIFF TO REPRESENT USWNT AT 2027 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
UCF head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak has rejoined the U.S. Women's National Team as a current assistant coach on Emma Hayes' staff. Roberts Sahaydak has been with the USWNT a number of times during 2026, as she took part in the team's January Camp, in February for the SheBelieves Cup, in April for the April Camp (friendlies vs. Japan), and in June for the June Camp (friendlies vs. Brazil). She will remain on staff and represent her home nation at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.
As a player, Roberts Sahaydak won both Olympic Gold (1996) and the 1999 World Cup with the USWNT. She went on to earn 112 caps for her country. She also previously spent time as an assistant coach for the USWNT in 2022 and 2023 for the 2023 Women's World Cup that was held in Australia/New Zealand.
FRESHMAN DANIELA OCAMPO TOOK PART IN 2026 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP
Freshman midfielder Daniela Ocampo represented her home nation of Costa Rica at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup from Sept. 5-27 in Poland.
Despite Costa Rica having their run come to a close in the group stage with an 0-3 record, Ocampo started all three matches for Costa Rica. The national appearance wasn’t the first for Ocampo, as she previously competed for Costa Rica at both the 2024 U-20 World Cup as well as the 2025 U-17 World Cup where she was a team captain for her home nation.
MOST CURRENT PROS IN THE BIG 12
UCF women's soccer has the most current pros of any Big 12 institution with 28. Former goalkeeper Genesis Perez Watson was the latest Knight to go pro as the 2025 All-Big 12 Second Team honoree signed a professional contract with Atlético Madrid of the Spanish Liga F this summer.
Fellow 2025 All-Big 12 honorees Liz Worden and Rajanah Reed also went pro, as Worden plays for Racing Power FC of Liga BPI and Reed for Dallas Trinity FC of the USL Super League.
UP NEXT
Following Friday’s contest, the Knights will return to the road to take on the defending Big 12 champion TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth on Thursday, Oct. 8. The Black and Gold will then return to Orland to host Oklahoma State on Sunday, Oct. 11.